Waverley Books The Baker\'s Tale

Waverley Books The Baker\'s Tale

The Baker's Tale: The specialities of James Burgess from One Devonshire Gardens by Catherine Brown. 

A must-have book. 

Michel Roux 

I dare anyone not to learn somethin, from this book! 

As well as Mr Burgess' interesting forewords, on 'baking a better loaf ' and on his own career 'The Baker's Tale', there are whole sections on ingredients and tips & techniques that are invaluable. The delicious recipes themselves (from brioche and ciabatta to afternoon tea favourites and festive baking) are easy to follow and more importantly reliable – well obviously coming from Mr Burgess, they are going to be! 

Having several bookcases devoted to bakery and sugarcraft means that I have plenty of choice when it comes to reference books however, this friendly book never gets put away and lives with other treasured titles in my kitchen. A must for any baker. 

Marie Clare McGhee MD SugarCraftShop Ltd. 

James 'Mr Jimmy' Burgess was the last craft baker to work in One Devonshire Gardens in Glasgow's West End – one of Scotland’s top hotels and the choice of the Stars. It was here, during the final ten years of his career, that he established his reputation as one of the UK's most respected bakers and pastry chefs. 

Among his admirers were Billy Connolly, Lulu, Robbie Coltrane, Delia Smith, Rolf Harris, Celine Dion and many others who frequently left with a complimentary box of Mr Jimmy's tablet or shortbread. 

After retiring in February 2001, he took his 35-year-old book of recipes with him. A unique collection which, along with his own personal tips and advice, is now revealed in The Baker’s Tale. 

Written by Catherine Brown, award-winning food writer and long-time follower of Mr Jimmy's superb baking, The Baker’s Tale captures the essence of this heart-warming tale of a man dedicated to his craft. She sets his own life story as a baker against the historical background of the ups and downs of the baking industry in the twentieth century.  

From Daily Bread to Danish Pastries; Shortbread to Spinach Quiche; Clootie Dumpling to Clafoutis Tart or Mincemeat to Madeleines, this is a rich collection of inspiring recipes to send everyone off into the kitchen to bake. 

Catherine Brown grew up in Glasgow, her mother’s home town, but also spent much of her early life in an east coast fishing village where her father’s family lived. Two very different food cultures which provided vivid food memories of distinctive Scottish food traditions. They sparked her quest to celebrate and develop the potential of Scotland’s rich and varied larder. She has been a chef in hotels, a teacher, a researcher, a journalist as well as a presenter of STV and Grampian TV’s Scotland’s Larder. She became the Guild of Food Writers’ Food Journalist of the Year in 2001 for her investigative food columns in The Herald (Glasgow). She divides her time between a small village on the Isle of Arran and an even smaller one on the shores of Loch Torridon.